Top Ten R&B Videos
"U Got It Bad" by Usher
Usher fans know that Usher is a new father and married to Tameka, but some of us still cross our fingers and hope him and Chilli get back together because they were gorgeous together. This video is evidence of that. Chilli crawls between his legs. Usher caresses Chilli's face, and he watches Chilli sleep. Usher even got on his knees and buried his head in Chilli's stomach to forgive him. On VH1's blog, Chilli wasn't lying when she said that the two of them look like they go together. Cute as a button even when they were supposed to be arguing in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15bWP1O-bK0
NUMBER NINE TOP R&B VIDEO
"Irreplaceable" by Beyonce
Every woman has had that one guy that she had no idea why she bothered trying to have a relationship with him, and "Irreplaceable" was a wake-up call. Ladies downloaded the ringtones, watched the video, and blasted this song where Beyonce kicked her man out for getting too cocky and not being an attentive boyfriend. Beyonce reminded him which belongings were hers, promptly removed his jacket and necklace that she bought, and sang, "Keep talking that mess / That's fine / But could you walk and talk / At the same time." Ne-Yo, the songwriter for this one, blended country music and an R&B feel after actually hearing about a woman who did pack her man's things to the left of the room. And where were Beyonce's man's things packed? To the left, to the left.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNzLAGvzYKs
NUMBER EIGHT TOP R&B VIDEO
"Like a Boy" by Ciara
Ciara took quite a chance with this one considering all of the nasty rumors about her having masculine features. (I never did figure out where these masculine features were on Ciara because the woman is beautiful in a feminine way.) But this was the anthem for women who were fed up with cheating males who acted more like boys than grown men. Ciara demanded in the very first line to "pull up your pants" and proceeded to play the role of an arrogant man and a sensual woman. Her mannerisms (not surprisingly) remind viewers a lot of Bow Wow, her ex-boyfriend, and as usual, her dancing is ridiculous. Ciara does one particular move with her dancers that looks like a heart beating, and I automatically rewound that part. If Ciara wasn't already pegged as one of the best female dancers in the R&B industry, she would be after this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFRuUJR4LPI
NUMBER SEVEN TOP R&B VIDEO
"Are You That Somebody?" by Aaliyah featuring Timbaland
Some fellas start the video by speeding on motorcycles to an undisclosed location inside of a tunnel where Aaliyah and her girls meet them in their b-girl stances. A bird rests on her arm, and the girls immediately start a dance routine like they are flying. The dancing carried the video, and it was excellent from beginning to end. Aaliyah always had a sexy groove to her dancing that looked more like belly dancing than Hip Hop, and it worked for her.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHnzjV8SaEY
NUMBER SIX R&B TOP VIDEO
"You Don't Know My Name" by Alicia Keys featuring Mos Def
Alicia Keys and Mos Def are masterminds at creativity, be it hip hop or soul, so for them to be a fictional couple in this video was outstanding. Men everywhere were content to see a woman taking the initiative to contact a guy she was interested in instead of the guy having to play guessing games. Even better, Mos Def did not appear to be interested in Alicia Keys in the restaurant she worked in. Up until a house party, he'd blown her off, and as pretty as Alicia Keys is, viewers took notice. Alicia Keys took simple everyday events and made them ultra sexy-being at work and seeing her favorite customer, a house party with a little flirting, the illusion of kissing, cuddling against a wall, a cell phone call with bad reception, and chitchat for a first-time love interest. This song and video spent several weeks on 106 & Park's countdown and on the radio. "You Don't Know My Name" also got Mos Def a new line of groupies because women started paying attention to his adorable dimples, cool demeanor, charisma, and subtle flirting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJiLcNQdye4
NUMBER FIVE R&B TOP VIDEO
"What's It Gonna Be?" by Janet Jackson featuring Busta Rhymes
This was one of the sexiest songs of the summer. High school bands played this song at all of the battle of the bands, and the song got permanent radio play. Not only did this video have a great combination, but Janet Jackson and Busta Rhymes morphing from water molecules into one person was excellent visual entertainment. Of course with Hype Williams being the video director, it only made sense to be even more creative and have a silver Busta Rhymes head flying around, a liquid marching band, and liquid people raining from the air and bouncing on Janet Jackson's breasts. Whereas Janet Jackson seems soft and flirty, Busta Rhymes gave the masculine sexual edge. Those two just looked like they could work magic together if the opportunity arose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4PFClnMkOU
NUMBER FOUR R&B TOP VIDEO
"With You" by Chris Brown
Chris Brown croons, "You mean to me / What I mean to you," and what more could a woman ask for than to know she's mutually loved? No matter what Chris Brown is doing, whether it's being interviewed, dancing, singing, or flirting, he's the life of the party and always entertaining. This video isn't fancy, but Chris Brown's charisma and boyish good looks carry the video the whole way through as he dances down a street, daydreams on a bus, and wraps his arms around his love interest sitting next to him on the bus stop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SO3wrhh3qM
NUMBER THREE R&B TOP VIDEO
"Lost Without You" by Robin Thicke
No man could go wrong by playing this song to get the mood right. Robin Thicke proudly croons that he is lost without his special lady, and in the video, he holds true to that statement by making his leading lady his wife in real life, Paula Patton (from the movie "Idlewild").
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aVu-v7I514
NUMBER TWO R&B TOP VIDEO
"Scream" by Michael Jackson featuring Janet Jackson
Longtime Jackson fans waited endlessly for Michael and Janet Jackson to collaborate on a song. While they were expecting an R&B song, "Scream" was more of a pop song, but it had the same wonderful bluesy voices that they perform with separately. Michael Jackson snaps and is finally fed up with the rumors and harassment. Janet Jackson throws up her middle finger, stands in front of a urinal, and cocks her legs open. Michael Jackson floats in the air and smashes a guitar. Siblings comically fight while playing video games but stand together and put family first. When the two did a dance routine together, I could just imagine all of the Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson fans screaming at their television sets. Dream come true!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNl2Pm9-7Vk
NUMBER ONE R&B TOP VIDEO
"What's Going On?" by Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye is one of the few men who got finer every single year he aged, but he didn't use his sex appeal for this video. Marvin Gaye used his beautiful voice to bring attention to a very serious issue happening in the community: the Vietnam War. The video starts off looking like it's a tribute to his fans and his music, but it soon goes into how the streets are looking with the war going on. Race riots, Marvin Gaye's cousin dying in the war and his brother coming home from the war, and poverty greatly inspired this video and song. Gang graffiti, broken glass, barbecues, churches, basketball games, Chicago bungalows, and people sitting on street corners were a photographer's playground on this set, but Marvin Gaye's video shows family are what people survived on to get their minds off of all of the violence.
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Shamontiel is the author of Round Trip and Change for a Twenty, and in mid-October became the Chicago Tribune s Digital News Editor. She works on National Travel, Health and occasionally Breaking News, and w... View profile
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15 Comments
Post a CommentAs for Black Eyed Peas being R&B, that group is forever walking the line between pop, R&B, and Hip Hop. will.i.am always brings the hip hop, but then Fergie gives it a pop feel, but then out of nowhere someone will sing, like Justin Timberlake did on this song you mentioned "Where Is the Love?" I'd consider this particular song R&B, but then you have songs like "Shut Up" that are pop. I like Black Eyed Peas' versatility. And as for Michael Jackson, I always love his songs and the videos are cool, but I NEVER believe he actually has a sexual attraction to the women in his videos, and it always looks so forced to me. I think that's why I like the one with him and his sister so much. That was probably the first time I actually felt he had a connection with the other people in his videos, minus him jumping on Jordan's back in that one video. Oooh, I did like "Black or White" a lot though. That was a hot one.
Uh oh! Another Alyce sighting. I love it when you stop through. Anyway, I watched the Chamber Brother's video, and this goes back to what I said to KL the Writer. There are some excellent songs that the videos don't do much for me. I love the songs, such as this one, but I walked from the computer just to listen to the song. I picked videos that I wouldn't want to turn from. Surprisingly it wasn't hard for me. I have the attention span of a 3-year-old doped up on pixie sticks, so I knew exactly which videos kept my attention the whole way through. I tried to find that video for you with Janet and the belly button ring, but I can't figure it out. My favorite songs of hers are "Any Time, Any Place," the one with Gary Dourdon (Shaza Zulu from "A Different World") "Again", and the one with Q-Tip "Got Til It's Gone," but she doesn't have a navel ring in any of those as far as I can tell.
My most watched video lately is most likely "People Get Ready" by the Chambers Brothers, which I find more soulful than the original Curtis Mayfied and the Impressions version. Next to that could be "Where is the Love" by the Black Eyed Peas. I am not sure if the second qualifies as R&B, but the first fits my definition of it; rhythm and blues.
Not familiar with some of the newer R&B videos you picked. Usher's "Burn" would make a top ten list for me, maybe even number one. The name of the Janet tune eludes me, but I remember the video made me want to go out and get my navel pierced; do not know if that makes for good R&B video, but it would make my list of favorites. I also liked Michael's "The Way You Make Me Feel" for the cinematic value. I think of both Jackson's as being pop singers; Marvin also. Something by Toni Braxton and TLC would definitely make my list of favorites. Top Ten lists are impossible for me to make; for every one that makes the list, I have to leave off ten more. 10 would be narrowing down to one a year for ten years and how ever could I limit myself to 30-40 years since music television made videos popular. Love You Tube; I can re-experience Jackie Wilson sliding across the floor, landing on his knees doing "Higher and Higher" or "Lonely Teardrops" as if seeing it for the first time.
Lovella, you lost me. I've never heard anything about them breaking up. What do you know that I don't? (Loaded question, but I meant about Usher.) And "Are You That Somebody?" is my favorite Aaliyah song as well. :-)
Ooh, my favorite Aaliyah song! Love it! Maybe Chilli and Usher can get back together? Especially since he and Tameka are no more!
C-Love, thanks for dropping by and commenting on the videos. No disrespect to Tameka, but I think Usher and Chilli are so cute. I loved seeing them on the (BET?) awards. KL, I'm a video head 'til the day I die. I have zero use for cable unless I'm watching music videos. My collection is from 1995 until now, and although BET and MTV are being very janky with showing videos, I still try to catch the marathons. This article was one of my favorites because I got to go through memory lane with music over the years.
Sounds Great,, I mess up your name again,, WOW,, I am slipping. I hear what your saying on the videos,, The song is one of the reason I would even watch a video, but over the years everyone sound so much alike that there was no intrest in watching the vidoes since many of the songs don't say too much to me.. Alicia Keys had a good one with the cycle accident I thought was cool,, However I would ratther just listen to the music and do without the videos..
I can see your writing like crazy and that is a good thing.. I just can't seem to get into this site, but I do like coming by to check you out.. Keep up the great work. I found a good deal with a printer finally so I can start planning of printing my books.. I am considering some online writing course to get stronger with my writing.. I did find a great transcriber so I am able to record my work and have someone type it at a great price.. Its kind of cool to have a virtual assistant. Talk to you soon,, My Friend... Keep up the writin
Enjoyed the blast from the past video w/ Usher & Chili!
I watched "No One In This World," and the video is boring. It starts off interesting with the ad about the Japanese, but the rest of the video is her standing onstage with people rocking back and forth. There's nothing exciting going on, plus you already know I don't care for Spike Lee. Give me some more because none of these make me want to change my list. (P.S. One of these days, I'm going to get you to spell my name right.)